World’s First: Surgeons Transplant Modified Pig Kidney into Live Human

A surgical team at Massachusetts General Hospital has conducted the world’s first genetically edited pig kidney transplant into a living human. Surgeons successfully connected the pig kidney’s blood vessels and ureter to those of 62-year-old Richard Slayman. Mr. Slayman suffers from end-stage kidney disease, and is reportedly recovering well after the surgery. Richard Slayman had… Continue reading World’s First: Surgeons Transplant Modified Pig Kidney into Live Human

Give the Gift of Life on National Donor Day

Valentine’s Day is all about showing your love for your significant other.  But what if it were also about showing your love for perfect strangers? February 14th is National Donor Day, a day of awareness about how registering to be an organ donor can give someone a second chance at life.  Does your driver’s license… Continue reading Give the Gift of Life on National Donor Day

It’s World Kidney Day. How Are Your Kidneys?

Today is World Kidney Day, a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF). Since 2006, World Kidney Day has been raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health.  For example, did you know that it’s our kidneys’ job to remove toxins… Continue reading It’s World Kidney Day. How Are Your Kidneys?

Battling the Complications: An Interview with Diabetes Patient Michael Burke (Part II)

Last week, in Part I of this interview, PatientsLikeMe member and blogger Michael Burke shared his sister Linda’s struggle with type 1 diabetes.  Today, we learn about his own type 1 diabetes journey, including his June 2011 kidney transplant as a result of diabetes-induced kidney failure. 1.  What diabetes complications have you faced? Diabetes is… Continue reading Battling the Complications: An Interview with Diabetes Patient Michael Burke (Part II)